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Ballot access requirements for political parties in Pennsylvania
 in Pennsylvania |
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| Ballot access for presidential candidates |
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Note: This article is not intended to serve as a guide to running for public office. Individuals should contact their state election agencies for further information.
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Although there are hundreds of political parties in the United States, only certain parties qualify to have the names of their candidates for office printed on election ballots. In order to qualify for ballot placement, a party must meet certain requirements that vary from state to state. For example, in some states, a party may have to file a petition in order to qualify for ballot placement. In other states, a party must organize around a candidate for a specific office; that candidate must, in turn, win a percentage of the vote in order for the party to be granted ballot status. In still other states, an aspiring political party must register a certain number of voters.
To learn more about ballot access requirements for political candidates in Pennsylvania, see this article.
Process for a political party to obtain ballot status
See statutes: Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes Title 25 Chapter 11 Section 2; Pennsylvania Election Code Article IX
According to Pennsylvania law, a political party is defined as any of the following:[1]
| “ |
(1) A party or political body, one of whose candidates at the general election immediately preceding the primary:
(2) A party or political body, one of whose candidates at either the general or municipal election preceding the primary polled at least 5% of the largest entire vote cast for any elected candidate in any county. [2] |
” |
Political parties whose statewide voter registration is less than 15% of the combined registration for all statewide political parties are classified as minor political parties. Minor political parties are not eligible to participate in primaries and may only field candidates for the general election via nomination papers (Click here for more information).[3]
Political parties whose statewide registration is 15% or greater of the combined statewide registration for all statewide political parties nominate their candidates for office via primary.[4]
Any group of voters that does not qualify as a political party is considered a political body. Candidates running for office as affiliates of a political body may designate the body in no more than three words on their nomination papers. Political body designations will appear on the ballot alongside the candidate's name.[5][6][7]
Political parties
As of May 2024, there were four recognized political parties in Pennsylvania. [8]
| Party | Website link | By-laws/platform link |
|---|---|---|
| Democratic Party of Pennsylvania | Link | |
| Green Party of Pennsylvania | Link | Party platform |
| Libertarian Party of Pennsylvania | Link | Party platform |
| Republican Party of Pennsylvania | Link | Party platform |
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See also
- Ballot access requirements for political candidates in Pennsylvania
- Ballot access requirements for presidential candidates in Pennsylvania
- List of political parties in the United States
- Democratic Party of Pennsylvania
- Republican Party of Pennsylvania
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Pennsylvania General Assembly, "Title 25 Chapter 11," accessed July 14, 2025
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Pennsylvania Election Code, "Article IX, Section 912.2," accessed July 14, 2025
- ↑ Pennsylvania Election Code, "Article IX, Section 902," accessed July 14, 2025
- ↑ Pennsylvania Election Code, "Article IX, Section 801," accessed July 14, 2025
- ↑ Pennsylvania Election Code, "Article IX, Section 952," accessed July 14, 2025
- ↑ Pennsylvania Election Code, "Article X, Section 1003," accessed July 14, 2025
- ↑ Pennsylvania Secretary of State," Voter Registration Application," accessed May 23, 2024
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